I used to talk more about the ups and downs of marriage and how difficult the first few months were. I figure I shouldn’t be afraid to share now, either: I’m really happy and things have only gotten better. I owe our recent success to a shift in my thinking. In the first year…

At 16, I listened to Austin’s Latino pop station on the radio. When I heard a song I liked, I would listen intently for the song’s keywords and cement them into my memory. As soon as I got home and had internet access, I’d Google them with the hope of discovering the song title and…

Spoiler Alert: They’ve been the best 10 months of my life. On Striving for Balance: I’ve been a lifelong perfectionist. Now, my motto is something like: good enough will have to be good enough. Make sure Sophia eats her fruits and vegetables, but also let her eat cake at the birthday party. Give her ample time to crawl…

I’ve been (mostly) off of social media for the month, but logged in a few times to look at pictures of my new nephew, Caleb, and to post to my work’s Facebook and Instagram. It’s always good for me to get off of social media. I’ve taken numerous month-long breaks from it before. When I’m not using…

Dear Sophia, Yesterday you turned 9 months old, so you’ve officially been out of my body for longer than you were inside it. That makes me happy, because it means that you’re growing and changing and doing it all with a smile on your face. But it also makes me sad, on the other hand,…

In September, I celebrated my 4-year anniversary of living in Mexico. Anyone who has considered moving abroad has probably heard of the four stages of culture shock. Stage one is the honeymoon phase. In my case, I found that it lasted about 3 measly but wonderful months. I wanted to eat tacos from Tacos Raul…

Recently, I started reading Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking in an attempt to better understand my introversion and how I relate to others. At the beginning of the book, the author presents a simple quiz to help the reader determine their level of introversion/extroversion. The more times you answer “true,” the…

“When I am weak, then I am strong.” The Christian paradox of humbling yourself and admitting your weakness in order for God to fill you with His strength. There’s been many times in life when I’ve felt weak. Transitioning from being a Texas homeschooler to a college student in California left me in a state…

When Sophie was 5 days old, Carlos and I took her to the pediatrician for the first time. I hobbled up to the receptionist’s desk, still sore and weak from labor and delivery and exhausted from lack of sleep, and said in the most confident voice I could muster: “Hi, we’re here for my daughter’s…

It’s easy to worry, as a mom. I think one of the reasons why is because there are varying opinions and viewpoints about EVERY aspect of taking care of a baby: sleep positions, diapers, food, vaccinations, layers of clothing, etc. It’s hard to know if you’re doing it right or not. For every person that…

Perhaps it’s because Father’s Day is on Sunday and Mother’s Day just passed, or maybe because I just had a baby, but I’ve been thinking a lot about my parents lately. How they say that there’s certain things you won’t understand until you have kids of your own. How becoming a parent makes you appreciate…

I’m 5 weeks, 1 day into being a mom, and wow. I love Sophia. I love the faces she makes in her sleep, her hands, her squeals, the way she throws an arm around me when she’s asleep on me chest. She has made me slow down and take deep breaths, smile more, pray more, and evaluate what…